Leaving A Mark
by sabra jaguar
Summary: Flash did tell that reverse-colored copy he would... Follow-up to Justice League Unlimited episode "Divided We Fall"
1. Chapter 1

A/n: I have wanted to write this since I first saw that episode. Couldn't decide if I liked John's PoV or Wally's better, so I wrote both. Nothing related to Justice League is mine, but if anyone ever wanted to offer me Wally West, I certainly wouldn't refuse... :)

**Android Flash:** Slacker! Child! Clown! We have no place here among the world's greatest heroes.

**Flash:** Says you! I've got a seat at the big conference table. I'm gonna paint my logo on it!

_Justice League Unlimited:_ "Divided We Fall"

* * *

John Stewart wasn't sure what drove him to investigate the sounds coming from the Watchtower's conference room. Standing in the doorway, the Green Lantern glanced inside, spying the Flash hunched over one of the chairs surrounding the large table, the chair that Flash usually occupied when the Justice League came together to plan how they could best help when Earth needed them.

"Wally?" John called, curious and a little worried about what his hyperactive speedster friend may have found to do with his time in there. An idle Flash scared him in ways few other things ever could.

Flash looked up from his work and grinned at the new arrival. "Hey, GL. Great timing. I could do with a second opinion." He stepped back from the chair, gesturing grandly towards his handiwork. "How's it look?"

John stared. On the back of the chair Flash had painted the outline of a white circle with a yellow lightning bolt slashed through it, the same insignia that emblazoned the front of his costume.

"Now I know I'm not an artist, but I think I did a pretty good job on it, don't you think?" Flash tilted his head to critique his own work as he spoke, frowning a bit and picking up a slender paintbrush to add a small touch of detail to the design. "Yeah, much better," he sighed in satisfaction.

John crossed his arms over his chest, trying to figure out what could have possibly possessed Wally to adopt this manner of self-expression. (And he wasn't really ruling out mind control at the moment.) "Uh, Wally? Why'd you…" he trailed off, not sure what to say. Briefly he wondered if the rest of the League was aware of Flash personalizing his seat. Batman, in particular, would most likely not approve. Wally didn't seem to care, though, as he painstakingly added in a few more brushstrokes, pausing momentarily to study the result.

"This is my place," Flash offered up in explanation, setting the brush aside to examine his masterpiece from all angles, holding his hands out to frame the image, though Green Lantern wasn't really sure Flash was even focused on his design at that moment. "Fought hard for it, GL." He seemed pleased with the result as he spun the chair around and plopped down on it, resting his feet on the table and his arms over the back, right above his artwork. "I earned my seat. I belong here. This is mine."

Watching Flash hop back up, too restless to sit still for long, and paint a few more careful, deliberately slow strokes, John realized he didn't much care either. If Wally West wanted to graffiti the walls with the Flash logo, Batman or whoever else disapproved could just deal with it if they didn't like it, as far as he was concerned. They'd almost lost him in that last battle. If Wally fought to earn his place, then the Justice League had fought hard to keep Wally here to occupy it, when the pull of that "Speed Force" threatened to tear him away from them for good. Maybe the League could do with the reminder that Flash was alive, unharmed, and still a part of them. Maybe even the best part. John certainly didn't want to think of the alternative they'd already been shown, a world without him in it…

"I'm surprised you didn't just use your speed and be done with it," he said, tempted to grab up a paintbrush and help Flash leave his mark among the inner circle of the League.

"Nah, wanted to take my time on this, make sure I get it right. I think it's going to be here for a very long time."

_I think you're right about that, Wally,_ Green Lantern thought with a fond smile. _And your team is gonna make sure you stay right here with it._


	2. Chapter 2

And now for Flash's version...

* * *

Flash stepped back from his work, gazing at the result with a critical eye. Something wasn't quite right… He added a tiny bit of detail to the lightning bolt he was painting-the same lightning bolt that emblazoned the front of his costume-and decided he liked the change. The bulk of the painting was already done. All that remained now were the small, cosmetic fixes, those tiny perfections that all artists strive for in their work.

"Wally?"

Flash looked up from his masterpiece and grinned at the new arrival. "Hey, GL, great timing. I could do with a second opinion." He stepped back from the chair, gesturing grandly towards his handiwork. "How's it look?"

John stared at the chair in a way that Wally took as a compliment to his creative genius. The design was truly elegant in its simplicity, he thought. Wally added, "Now I know I'm not an artist, but I think I did a pretty good job on it, don't you think?" Wait, there was that one spot right there… He frowned a bit as he glanced over his work critically, tilting his head for a better perspective. He grabbed up a slender paintbrush and added a bit more detail. "Yeah, much better," he sighed in satisfaction.

Green Lantern woke up from his trance-like fixation on Flash's handiwork. "Uh, Wally? Why'd you…" the other man trailed off, having no words to articulate fully what the Flash's work truly meant to him, Wally was sure.

Flash paused momentarily from adding in a few more finishing touches. He did know what GL was asking, and it was a question he felt needed a serious answer.

"This is my place."

Despite what a certain evil Justice Lord Brainiac clone had to say on the matter. Flash set his brush aside to eye his design from all angles, even though he was hardly paying attention to it at this point.

"Fought hard for it, GL."

Convincing Batman and the other sceptics he was more than just a clownish poser who just happened to have powers, convincing himself every time he put on the costume that he truly was worthy of the symbol he wore on his chest, the symbol that now adorned the back of his chair. A reminder to himself of the responsibility as well as the right. He turned the chair around and plopped down on it for emphasis, folding his arms behind his head and resting his feet on the table. "I earned my seat. I belong here. This is mine."

A glance at Green Lantern showed the other hero deep in thought. Too restless to sit still for so long, Flash hopped to his feet and snatched up his paintbrush, wanting the design absolutely perfect. It was a victory for him over those who thought his death would destroy the League, over the reverse-color clone that tried to make him doubt his worth, over the Speed Force that threatened to pull him away. Thanks to his friends, Flash was still here. Thanks to their refusal to give him up. Maybe the symbol was their victory, too…

Behind him, John spoke. "I'm surprised you didn't just use your speed and be done with it." So John didn't really understand the significance of what Wally was trying to accomplish. But then, he could hardly expect the League to really get it. Flash didn't let it bother him. He had definitive proof that his team would always have his back. That was all that really mattered.

"Nah, wanted to take my time on this, make sure I get it right. I think it's going to be here for a very long time."

_And I'm not going anywhere, either, GL. Not as long as I can help it. You're stuck with me, pal_.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Would welcome any thoughts, reviews or constructive criticism you might have. I'd love to know what you think!


End file.
